Love is Blind…but is the law?

With Love Is Blind UK returning to our screens for its third season on Netflix, a family lawyer is warning that while contestants may enter the experiment looking for love, the marriages that follow carry the same legal consequences as any other marriage in England and Wales.

The popular reality TV show asks whether two people can fall in love without ever seeing each other. After forming a connection through the show’s famous “pods”, couples become engaged before meeting face-to-face for the first time. They then spend several weeks living together, meeting each other’s family and friends, and deciding whether they wish to marry.

Unlike many reality television programmes, the marriages entered into on Love Is Blind UK are legally binding. With many relationships across the franchise failing to stand the test of time, this raises an important question: what happens legally when a reality TV marriage comes to an end?

Jordan Spalding, a family law specialist at national law firm Clarke Willmott LLP, said: “The fact that a couple meet and fall in love on a reality television programme does not make their marriage any less legally binding.

Once they marry, they are subject to the same legal framework as any other married couple in England and Wales.”

Since the introduction of no-fault divorce in 2022, a spouse no longer needs to prove wrongdoing by the other party. Instead, they simply need to confirm that the marriage has irretrievably broken down. The reform has made the divorce process more straightforward and can help reduce conflict between separating couples.

However, even if a couple realise shortly after the show that they no longer wish to remain married, they cannot immediately begin divorce proceedings. Under the law in England and Wales, parties must have been married for at least one year before applying for a divorce.

Spalding said: “No-fault divorce has made the process of ending a marriage less focused on blame, which is particularly helpful where a relationship has broken down quickly. But couples should not assume that because they have only been married for a short period, there are no wider legal or financial consequences.”

In addition to obtaining a divorce, separating couples must consider any financial claims arising from the marriage. This involves determining how assets, liabilities, income and other financial resources should be dealt with following separation.

Marriage can create financial claims that would not otherwise exist. That does not necessarily mean that all assets will automatically be shared equally, however. There are circumstances in which assets owned by one party before the marriage may be treated as non-matrimonial property.

For example, where an asset has been kept separate and has not been “intermingled” with the marital finances, the Court may be less likely to treat it as part of the matrimonial assets available for division. The source of an asset can also be relevant, as highlighted by recent case law including Standish v Standish.

When deciding how financial assets should be divided, the Court considers a range of factors set out in section 25 of the Matrimonial Causes Act 1973, commonly referred to as the “Section 25 factors”. These include the parties’ financial needs, resources, ages, contributions and the duration of the marriage.

Spalding said: “A short marriage does not automatically mean that each person simply walks away with what they brought into the relationship. The Court has to consider the individual circumstances of the case, including each party’s financial position, needs and contributions.”

The length of the relationship can be particularly significant. When assessing duration, the Court may also consider any period of cohabitation immediately before the marriage. For couples on Love Is Blind UK, who typically live together before marrying, this period may therefore be relevant when considering the overall length of the relationship.

In shorter marriages, the Court is often less inclined to apply the sharing principle in the same way as it might in a long marriage, particularly where the parties have maintained separate finances.

“The wedding date is not necessarily the only date that matters,” Spalding explained. “If a couple have been living together immediately before getting married, that period of cohabitation may be relevant when the Court considers the overall duration of the relationship. However, there is no automatic formula, and every case will depend on its own circumstances.”

For contestants entering a marriage with significant pre-existing assets, a pre-nuptial agreement could also provide an additional level of certainty.

A pre-nuptial agreement is a document signed before marriage which sets out how assets and finances should be dealt with if the relationship later breaks down. Such agreements can provide clarity and may help reduce the scope for future disputes.

However, pre-nuptial agreements are not strictly binding in England and Wales. The Court retains discretion to depart from their terms where circumstances justify doing so, particularly where it would be unfair to uphold the agreement.

That said, significant weight is often given to a pre-nuptial agreement where both parties entered into it freely, received independent legal advice, understood its implications and provided full financial disclosure before signing.

Spalding said: “A pre-nuptial agreement is not a guarantee that assets will be divided in a particular way if a marriage ends, but it can provide valuable evidence of what both parties intended before they married.

“For anyone entering a marriage with significant pre-existing wealth or assets, obtaining independent legal advice and considering a pre-nuptial agreement before the wedding can help both parties understand their position and potentially reduce uncertainty if the relationship later breaks down.”

While Love Is Blind UK may offer contestants an opportunity to find love, gain public exposure or launch a media career, the legal consequences of marriage are very real.

Spalding concluded: “Reality television can make marriage appear to be the final step in the experiment, but legally it can be the beginning of a significant financial and legal relationship.”

“Contestants should think carefully about what marriage means beyond the cameras. Love may be blind, but the law certainly is not.”

Clarke Willmott is a national law firm with offices in Birmingham, Bristol, Cardiff, London, Manchester, Southampton and Taunton.

For more information visit Specialist Family Law Solicitors – UK & Abroad – Clarke Willmott